GRAND RAPIDS, MI – The project could be called “The Weight of Michigan.”

A campaign aimed at turning around the state’s obesity epidemic is preparing to bring HBO’s “Weight of the Nation” documentary to five cities this fall. The screenings are the centerpiece of Shape Michigan, an initiative to unite business leaders, health care providers, educators, students and families in efforts to improve the health of local communities.

Grand Rapids-based insurer Priority Health is hosting the screenings and panel discussions in an effort to reduce the health consequences and costs of obesity.

Michigan ranks third in the country for obesity, said Paula Murphy, vice president of marketing for Priority Health. And excess weight is linked to a number of chronic health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

“The statistics are really staggering,” she said. “Thirty percent of adults and 17 percent of children are obese. If we don’t do anything right now, 50 percent of Michigan’s population will be obese by 2030.”

Priority’s Shape Michigan campaign is part of a nationwide public awareness effort launched with the documentary “The Weight of the Nation.” In creating the film, HBO worked with the Institute of Medicine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health.

The documentary is “kind of a ‘scared straight.’ It’s very compelling,” Murphy said.

The documentary consists of four one-hour segments, each focusing on a different issue. Part of the documentary will be shown at one-day events in October in Grand Rapids, Traverse City, Kalamazoo, Lansing and metro Detroit. The dates have not yet been announced.

The mornings will focus on issues relevant to employers, community leaders and health care providers, Murphy said. The afternoons will focus on issues related to schools and children. In each case, a showing of the film will be followed by a panel discussion.

Area organizations and businesses are encouraged to take part in the events by providing health screenings, cooking demonstrations and information about wellness services. The goal is to help individuals and organizations find ways to implement wellness programs, improve diets and increase exercise.

A Shape Michigan website will provide a social platform for people to share tips, Murphy added.

“I think this is going to be the first statewide comprehensive initiative to bring together tens of thousands of people, business leaders, educators and students to understand the socioeconomic impact of obesity and weight in the state,” she said. “This is intended to continue on an ongoing basis to address the obesity epidemic.”